What is 'being MSE'

colinw

I originally joined here when a friend told me about credit card stoozing way back in 2005. That involved opening multiple credit card accounts taking the max they would allow out and sticking it on a savings account for on average a year. In those days you could actually make money off interest rates. I had about £30,000 of the banks money stoozed away at one point earning me interest. That was what being MSE then. I have to say I did not feel to guilty about doing that to the banks. Now I only really look at this section and the travel section so I dont really use the forum for money saving anymore. This place used to be a real laugh.

Maestro.

An MSE is one of those people that starts laying out their coppers at the till just so they can give exact change, with a huge queue of people behind them.

geordie_ben

Maestro. wrote: »

An MSE is one of those people that starts laying out their coppers at the till just so they can give exact change, with a huge queue of people behind them.

Totally disagree. I never use change less than 50p as we put anything less into a jar - kinda seems like free savings (but I know it's not)

What MSE means for me..

1, Getting the best deal possible on the essentials to allow you to make the most of your leftover money for non essentials

2, Being in control of finances

3, Legally getting something for nothing

Ken68

Once you've cracked making savings on one endeavour, then that has taught me to apply the same on ANYTHING.
Like water is free, just make it happen, same with foraging, same with stoozing (though I didn't have the courage to go all out).
Growing own food is another winner, but you do need a bit of land.

BessieBooBoo

Hello all

I can only say what MSE has meant for me. Although not deeply in debt, I came across this site when there wasn't much cash flow, and we needed a lot of work done at home.

MSE gave me a new perspective. It's not all about scrimping. It is simply making the most of what you already have. S-t-r-e-c-h-i-n-g the cash as far as you can.

Setting goals, like, getting this place renovated (tick); paying off mortgage early to get some financial security/peace of mind (tick); starting to save for an emergency fund (tick); saving for other goals (on-going).

Not about doing without everything, but, prioritising what you really need or want and aiming for it. The clich! 'How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time', really works for me, as with a small income, it's little steps but it is doable if you focus.

I am constantly using this site to switch, compare, check and scour for ideas making my money work as hard as possible.

Long may this site continue, and thank you to everyone who has helped me, inspired me, encouraged, informed and amused me along the way! :T

BBB

malkypaul

Hi Everyone

Surely being MSE isn’t about being a miser and watching every penny, but getting “more bang for your buck” and as money is getting tight for all isn’t being MSE about making the available money go further and only spending your hard earned cash on necessities whilst still leading the life you aspire to or can afford,.
For my gardening I use using vending machine cups instead of buying pots, making your own potting compost instead of buying premade crap with added J.I. from superstores, growing your own fruit & veg, having your own chickens (entertainment, waste disposal and eggs), scrounging hedge trimmings for hardwood cuttings instead of buying hedging plants, lift sharing with colleagues, holiday sharing with close family. After all surely the happiest people don’t have the best of everything but make the best of everything they have, and I’ve often thought money doesn’t buy happiness it just makes your unhappiness more comfortable, As the Land rover owners say “One life, Live it”, and Since life isn’t a rehearsal enjoy your life whilst you can and if that means the odd takeaway or other treat sobeit, all under the MSE mantra of course, anyway only one more clich!,

Growing old is mandatory, Growing up is not.

Thank you for reading these thoughts.

Malkypaul

damandem

In response to the initial post that began this thread.

I have recently transferred bank accounts from Barclays Premier for £25 a month to Halifax Reward making £5 a month and getting £100 switching bonus. Thats a £460 swing over a year and that figure isn't one I would consider to be "negligible". I will change the Premier account back to a standard account and cancel it as soon as I am comfortable all my details have switched over.

I have just recieved a £755 tax rebate I pursued, I have been reimbursed £22 for accidentally incurring a reserve usage fee and managed to claim back £55 from my bank after buying vouchers that subsequently went into liquidation.

Ken68

Good one Dam.....same with the utilities and groceries for everyone.
Be a miser, be proud of it. Away with the 'treats.'

whizzybee

MSE is definitely a personal thing and can be adapted and suited to whatever your lifestyle needs are, from saving a few extra pennies here and there, through to frugality at its extreme. It depends on what your aspirations are.

For me, it is thinking twice about what I spend and whether I can get it cheaper elsewhere. Its keeping an eye on the spending so at the end of the month, I can assess the spending that perhaps I let pass me by (i.e. too many takeaway coffees etc).

I am proud to say that I rarely buy lunches and dinners, therefore I can accept invitations out to meals on odd occasions, knowing that I have saved money elsewhere. So long as there are savings at the end of the month to help me towards my house deposit (or car, although hoping for the former), I can feel happy.

I hope to continue the money saving and either up during particular periods where I know big spending is coming up and this website is helping me save for christmas, months before I normally think about it. And also making it ok to actually start thinking about it months in advance! This website also helps me think of more creative ways to make the money stretch further and long may it continue to!

pelirocco

itch_for_a_glitch wrote: »

Fish & chips isnt MSE you can do it cheaper at home.

If you can afford to consider a Beefeater (YUK) fish and chips is MSE, but not as MSE as cooking at home IYSWIM.

MSE is about spending money wisely , it isnt about saving for the sake of it

What some people think is wise will vary greatly from what others think as wise , but it doesnt make either right nor wrong